1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to mounting hardware and in particular to mounting hardware which imitates architectural hardware and provides structural support.
2. Description of Related Art
Many construction projects require an assembly referred to in the art as a through bolted connection. A hole is formed to extend through the materials being connected. A bolt (optionally with a washer) is inserted into the hole on one side of the materials, the bolt having a sufficient shaft length such that the threaded end of the bolt passes through the materials and protrudes from the opposite side. A correspondingly threaded nut (optionally with a washer) is then mounted to the threaded end of the bolt. The through bolt assembly is then tightened to connect the materials together.
The making of a through bolted connection can instead use a lag bolt connector which essentially comprises a bolt whose shank is formed in the shape similar to the shank of a wood screw (i.e., a threaded taper). A pilot hole may be formed to extend through and into the materials being connected. The lag bolt (optionally with a washer) is inserted into the hole and driven into the materials until tight to connect the materials together.
A drawback of such conventional hardware connectors is that the shaft lengths of the bolts are fixed. Thus, the consumer must accurately select the proper length of the hardware for the given project. Mistakes can be made (both on the long side and short side).
Such conventional hardware connectors typically exhibit large gaps between sizes (shaft lengths) resulting in the selected fastener for a job often being much longer than required. Excess length can sometimes be cut off, but this requires additional equipment and the cut end must be treated for corrosion or paint. Excess length of hardware which is exposed can also create a safety issue. In summary, conventional hardware is configured to take up slack (i.e., the excess length) on the outside of the connection where it can be seen. It would be an advantage if a through bolted connection could address the slack issue in a way which would preclude the slack from being exposed.
An additional drawback of such conventional hardware connectors concerns appearance. This hardware typically has a utilitarian appearance. In many projects, however, the project aesthetics are incompatible with the utilitarian appearance of the mounting hardware. In such cases, trim carpentry at added expense is sometimes employed to cover the hardware. In other cases, architectural hardware components are selected for use in place of utilitarian hardware components. The term “architectural hardware” refers to hardware having antique designs. If the project budget permits, actual antique hardware components can be used, or alternatively the antique hardware components can be recreated or reproduced from same materials with the same design as the antique original. These options can be quite expensive, and thus are beyond the reach of most projects. Additionally, working with such connectors can require special skills and equipment, thus placing use and installation of architectural hardware components beyond the reach of the conventional consumer (such as a home owner).
Ease of assembly is a critical feature for conventional consumer hardware use. The “Thrulok”™ brand of screw bolt fastening systems (by FastenMaster) presents an easy to use a through bolted connection. Unfortunately, the “Thrulok”™ brand suffers from the same concerns described above for other through bolted connection hardware, namely fixed lengths and utilitarian appearance.
A need exists in the art for a structural through bolted connection hardware which supports adjustable length and possesses an aesthetically pleasing architectural appearance at lower cost.